Stencil.



W. H. WALTER.

STENCIL. APPLICATION FILED AUG-28. l9l5. RENEWED JUNE 18. I911.

PM m 4 my TTTTTTEM STATES PATENT FT TFEW WUODFORD B. WALTER, 0F CLAIREIVIOBE, OKLAHOMA.

STENCIL.

Application filed. August 28, 1915, Serial No. 47,775.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that T, Wooorono R. WALTER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Claremore, in the county of Rogers and State of Oklahoma, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Stencils, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to an improved stencil, and has for its primary object to provide a device by means of which a blind person may sign his name to checks or other documents.

The invention has for a more particular object to provide a device of the above character which is foldable into small compass and may be conveniently carried in the pocket, but is capable of easy and quick adustment when it is desired to use the same.

The invention has for a further object to provide a base plate and a stencil plate each pivotally secured upon one end of a metal bar, a resilient member having spaced arms to which said bars are pivotally connected, and means carried by said resilient member for spacing the arms and separating said plates to permit of the insertion of a paper sheet between the same.

The invention has for an additional object to provide a device of the above character which is extremely simple in its construction, may be manufactured at small cost, and is of great convenience and serviceability in practical use.

With the above and other objects in view, the invention consists in novel features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts as will be hereinafter referred to and more particularly pointed out in the specification and claims.

For a full understanding of the invention, reference is to be had to the following description and accompanying drawing, in which,

Figure 1 is a perspective view of my invention showing the paper to be signed arranged in position beneath the stencil plate;

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section;

Fig. 3 is a detail perspective view of the base plate; and

Fig. 4 is an elevation showing the device folded.

Referring in detail to the drawing 5 designates the stencil plate in which the users name is out, as indicated at .6, The mar.-

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented 10cc. 4, T91 T.

Renewed June 18, 1917. Serial No. 175,505.

vide the end recesses 12 and a central recess 13 in one edge of the plate. These plates 5 and 10 are preferably constructed of sheet brass and the marginal ribs or flanges there on are provided upon the outer faces of the plates, the smooth faces thereof being opposed to each other. To each of the plates 5 and 10 one end of a short metal bar 14 is pivotally connected, the pivot being in line with the notch or recess in the longitudinal edge of the plate and adjacent thereto. The other ends of said metal bars are slightly bent or ofiset as shown at 15 so that when the plates 5 and 10 are engaged upon each other, the latter ends of said bars are also engaged.

16 designates a resilient metal bar which is bent upon itself to produce a central loop 17 therein and the opposed spring arms 18.

Theextremities of these arms are pivotally connected as at 19 to the bars 14 at the in ner ends of their offset portions. The outer faces of these offset ends of the bars 14 are provided with short longitudinal grooves 20 to receive the nibs or projections 21 formed in the ends of the arms 18 by indenting the same. When these projections are engaged in the grooves 20, the bars 14 and the spring arms 18 are disposed in longitudinal alinement with each other. In one of the arms 18 a screw 22 is threaded, and it will be ap parent that by simply adjusting the screw and causing the same to bear against the opposed arm 18, said arms may be separated or forced apart and the plates 5 and 10 on the ends of the bars 14 similarly spaced from each other.

Upon referring to Fig. 1 of the drawing, the manner of using my invention will be clearly understood. The bars 14 and arms 18 being arranged in alinement with each other and the screw 22 adjusted to space the same the paper sheet is inserted between the a pen or pencil.

ing understood that said plates are disposed at right angles-to the bars 14: upon the ends thereof. The screw 22 is now adjusted outwardly so that the spring arms 18 willact to force the plates together and clamp the same upon the paper sheet. The name may nowbesigned to the paper by simply tracingthe letters in the stencil plate with These letters which are in facsimiles of the users hand writing may be easily located by the sense of touch. By meansof the device, the signingof legal documents and other papers by blind persons may begreatly facilitatedand the name written in the proper place upon the paper.

When the device is not in use, the same is adapted to be folded in the manner shown in Fig. t of the drawing. The arms 18 and bars 14 are first separated by the adjustment of the screw 22 and said bars let turnedwith respect to the plates to extend longitudinally thereof, so that their outer ends will engage in the end recesses 8 and 12 in the plates 5 and 10 respectively. The spring arms 18 are then folded with respect to the bars 14 inwardly upon one of the longitudinal edges of said plates, said movement being limited by the screw 22 which engages the edges of the plates 5 and 10. It is thus seen that the parts of the device may be readily folded very compactly so that the invention can be conveniently carried in the pocket.

From the foregoing description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, the construction, manner of operation, and several advantages of my invention will be clearly and fully understood. The device, While extremely simple, is of great convenience and utility in practical use, and provides inexpensive means whereby blind persons may properly sign their names to papers with ease and facility.

While I have above described the preferred form, construction, and arrangement of the several elements employed, it will be understood that the device is, nevertheless, susceptible of considerable modification therein, and I therefore reserve the privilege of resorting to all such legitimate changes as may be fairly embodied within the spirit and scope of the invention as V claimed.

What is claimed, is 1. A device of the character described comprising a base plate and a stencil plate,

comprising a base plate and a stencil plate,

and resilient means connecting said plates to each other'an'd normally acting to positively urge the plates into clamping engagement with a paper sheet arranged between the same.

3. A device of the character described comprising a base plate and a stencil plate, and a handle for said plates provided with means normally acting upon the respective plates to urge the same into clamping engagement with a paper sheet arranged between the same.

at. A device of the character described comprising a base plate and a stencil plate, bars pivotally connected to said plates, and an adjustable clamping device pivotally mounted upon said bars and foldable with relation thereto, said device being adapted to hold the plates in clamping engagement with a paper sheet arranged between the same.

5. A device of the character described comprising a base plate and a stencil plate, bars pivotally connected to said plates, a resilient clamping member having opposed arms pivotally connected to the respective bars and foldable with relation thereto, said spring arms being adapted to hold the plates in clamping engagement with a paper sheet arranged between the same, and means mounted in one of said arms and engaging the other to force the arms apart, and space the plates whereby the sheet may be removed.

6. A device of the character described comprising a base plate and a stencil plate, bars pivotally connected at one of their ends to the respective plates, a clamping memher having opposed spring arms pivotally connected to the respective bars adjacent their other ends, cooperating means on said bars and the spring arms to yicldably hold the same in longitudinal alinement, said arms being foldable with respect to the bars and said bars being adapted to be folded with respect to said plates, and means adj ustably engaged in one of said arms and 00- operating with the other arm to force said bars and plates apart or permit the plates to clamp upon a paper sheet arranged between the same.

7. A device of the character described comprising a base plate and a stencil plate, each having recesses on its end edges and upon one of its longitudinal edges, bars pivotally connected at one of their ends to the respective plates adjacent the latter recesses, said plates extending at right angles to the bars when the same are disposed in said latter recesses, said bars being foldable upon the plates and adapted for engagement at their other ends in the end recesses, and an adjustable clamping device connected to the latter ends of said bars and also foldable with relation thereto, said device being adapted to clamp the plates upon a paper sheet arranged between the same.

comprising a base plate and a stencil plate, and means connected to said plates and constituting a handle therefor, said means including spring urged parts normally acting to force the base plate and stencil plate toward each other and upon a paper'sheet arranged between the same.

9. A device of the character described comprisin a base plate and a stencil plate, and a fol able handle member connected to said plates and including spring urged parts normally acting to force the base plate and stencil plate toward each other and clamp the same upon a paper sheet arranged between said plates.

10. A device of the character described comprising a base plate and a stencil Plate, and a sectional handle member connected to said plates and adapted to be folded in eom pact relation thereto, said handle member including spring urged parts adapted when the handle is extended to urge the plates to ward each other into clamping engagement with a paper sheet arranged between the same.

11. A device of the character described comprising a base plate, and a stencil plate unconnected with the base plate, and means connected to the respective plates and normally urging the same into intimate contact with each other, said means constituting a handle.

12. A device of the character described comprising a base plate and a stencil plate unconnected to the base plate, and a sectional foldable handle member including parts pivotally connected to the respective plates, and a resilient element connected to said parts and normally acting upon the same to urge the base plate and stencil plate into clamping engagement with a paper sheet arranged between the same.

In testimony whereof I hereunto afiix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

his W OODFORD R. X WALTER.

itnesses to his mark: FRANK W. PIOKETT, GEORGE H. SMITH.

Gopies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner or Patcnta, Washington, D. (3. 

